


How not to get kicked out of a settlement

by owlaholic68



Series: A bed of California stars [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 2
Genre: Also why does Lynette not have a tag she is like the most memorable character for me, Does anyone even play Fallout 2 it's been like 20 years, Explicit Language, Swearing, Vault City, the Chosen One is done with this shit and snaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 04:19:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11073930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlaholic68/pseuds/owlaholic68
Summary: Step One: Do whatever the leader tells you to do.failed step one.





	How not to get kicked out of a settlement

“You did _what?_ ” First Citizen Lynette roars.

“I-well-“ Carla stutters, shrinking. “Well, y-you said that the power plant-“

“What I _said_ ,” Lynette interrupts, “was that I wanted those wretched abominations gone, not for you to _help_ them!” The First Citizen advances on Carla, towering over her by several inches. The Chosen One, savior of many, friend to all, hastily retreats until she bumps into Lynette’s desk.

“But they-“

“And what’s _more_ , one of the guards just informed me that one of them is _travelling_ with you, you and that-that savage!” Lynette’s face contorts in anger, her eyebrows almost touching the frames of her glasses.

 _God, and I used to think she was pretty_ , Carla thinks. Now, she can’t even meet the leader’s eyes, instead choosing to look at her feet. She’s gripping the edge of the desk, white-knuckled, to try and stop herself from shaking.

“Ma’am, please-“

“You good-for-nothing tribal idiots are all the same,” Lynette snarls. “You cause nothing but trouble, can’t be relied on to do anything right! You and your _friends_ walked your way into this pure, clean city and started badgering everyone, ruining people’s happiness. You tainted this place with your filthy hands, incessant insubordination, and pointless questions! Just because-“

Lynette snaps forward and seizes the front of Carla’s leather jacket. “ _Look at me when I’m speaking to you, tribal!_ ”

Carla flinches and screws her eyes shut. She feels pinned, stuck between the desk and the blinding fury of the First Citizen. She considers her options:

First option: She begs for forgiveness and gets to continue to trade in Vault City. Maybe.

Second option: She pulls out a knife and stabs Lynette, then gets killed by the guards.

_Okay, option two is really stupid. Guess I’ll go with option one._

Carla opens her mouth to plead for forgiveness, then stops. _Why do I even care? This-I don’t even like this place. And it’s not like I actually need to trade here. There are other cities, respectable places that will take my business and not make me feel like shit._

_There’s always a third option._

“Open your eyes and look at me!” Lynette repeats, shaking the Chosen One roughly.

Carla makes her decision. She grabs Lynette’s wrist and deftly twists it, forcing her grip on her jacket to break.

“You are not worthy of even that small of a respect, _First Citizen_ ,” she spits out the title, shoving Lynette back. She gapes at the Chosen One, then opens her mouth to say something.

“No, shut up!” Carla shouts, cutting her off. “You’ve said _enough_. Your entire cesspool of a city, your festering mess of a civilization, I’ve had enough!”

“You dare-“ Lynette is fuming, but keeps her distance.

“And  _yo_ _u_ -you dare call yourself a leader?” Carla bitterly laughs, with no trace of humor. “You dare call yourself a civilized woman, a respectable member of this godforsaken world? This whole shithole, you’re all nothing but elitist rats, living in the gutter like it’s a goddamn palace! And you know what, you’re the worst rat of them all!” She points at Lynette, who seems too furious and stunned to even call for guards. “You’re just a racist, privileged little bully, who thinks that the whole world was made just for you, who turns a blind eye to slavery just so you can live out a cushy, spoiled life surrounded by people who are too scared to tell you truth!”

“Your precious city is **_dying_** , _First Citizen_. And if you took off your rose-colored glasses and actually looked, you’d see it too. I was just trying to _help_ , a concept that you seem to be completely unfamiliar with. And what do I get for my generosity? Condescension. Scorn. Hate. So you know what? You can take your holier-than-thou attitude and shove it where the sun don’t shine. I’m done with this.” Carla finishes her rant, shaking like a leaf. A small part of her is horrified at her own words, but for the most part she’s triumphant, feeling a glow of pride at Lynette’s shocked face.

 _I did that_ , she realizes. _I can do that again. I don’t have to lay down and take this shit from anyone, not again, not ever._

“Get. Out. Now.” First Citizen Lynette forces out, hands balled into fists.

“Gladly, _ma’am_ ,” Carla says, walking to the door and pulling it open. “And don’t worry about me coming back.” She slams the door shut behind her and storms out of the Council building. Carla hurriedly walks past the manicured lawns and the shuffling servants until she gets downtown. Then she starts walking faster, keeping her head down and ignoring the glares and suspicious eyes of the citizens.

 _What if she- I have to get out of here, what if Lynette decides to throw me in jail_ , she starts thinking. _She could take Lenny and Sulik too – make us all – turn us all into slaves, miserable mindless zombies. She could do that, she would do that, but- I won’t let her, won’t even give her the chance_. She’s nearly hyperventilating as she rushes through the streets, brushing past citizens and servants. The main gate guards let her pass without incident. When Carla is a safe distance away from the guard post, she speeds up, almost running.

Sulik and Lenny are talking with Andrew, the completely incompetent doctor, but they immediately notice her.

“What wrong?” Sulik demands.

“Not here,” Carla says, quickly leading them away. “We have to get out of here, now.”

“Did something happen?” Lenny asks, agitatedly checking her over for wounds as they fast-walk through the main gate. “Are you injured?”

“No, it’s just, wait-“ Carla stops and looks at both of them. “You didn’t leave anything in the city, right?”

“No.” Sulik replies, confused.

“Good, good,” Carla says, turning towards the desert. “Because we won’t-can’t ever come back here.”

Lenny and Sulik understand. If her friends aren't welcome somewhere, she's not welcome either.

"Where to, then?" Lenny asks as they head out into the wastes. Carla shrugs. They head South.

Carla takes one last look at Vault City, then turns away. She doesn’t look back.

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the Fallout 2 quest: Solve the Gecko powerplant problem.
> 
> Want to know if the Chosen One ever tries to get back into Vault City? Come find me at owlaholic68.tumblr.com.


End file.
